Vehicle-wheel.



v. E. VAN GANTPORT.'

` VEHIGLE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED 1111.119, 1907. BENBWED AUG. 24,1909.

Patented 001111909..

. Jg aum/ III lll/r1 7/ m p@ j u Q m12@ @1W Y i j l *Y @aff y 7 1vvieron, EUGENE VAN oANTFoR'r, or AKRON, omo.

.Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1909.

Application filed July 19, 1907, Serial No. 384,519. "Renewed August 24,1909. Serial No. 514,453.

To @Il whom'fit may concern:

Be 1t known that I, Vieron `EUGENE VAN CAN Troni', a citizen* oftheUnited Statemre- `siding at 'l tron, in the county of Summit by a load`carried by the vehicle in which said spokes are employed whensaidspokes are below the-plane of the hub of the wheel. r

l A further object of this invention is to provide a wheel vhaving asone of its compo nent parts spokes having coiled resilient yelea mentsoperative when belowthe plane of the huh and ino erativewhen above withmeans for yieldin yattaohing the. spokes to the .hub and fly resilientelements and protecting the entire 'mechanism against theinjuriousefects of said means supporting the foreignsubstances such aswater, dirt, etc., all o w the subjoined specification.

A practical embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings,

in which similar reference numerals indicate like partsin thediiierentfigures.

'In the drawin ,Figure 1 is a central .lon itudinal section through oneof the spo 'es on line X of-Fig. 2, showing the'hub and felly portionofthe wheel and theV manner of uniting-'one spokev to both of theseelements; ands, `Fig. 2 1s a. section on line Y of Fig. l `and on aplane parallel to the axle on which the. wheel is adapted to be mounted.

, The hub ofthe felly is constructed of two members, referred to in thedrawings by the este .of the vehicle, andthe member 1 is )inf teriorlybored to be slidably supportedon the exterior lof the sleeve 5. f Thetwo members l and 2l areunited-by meansof a plurality of transversebolts 6 which serve to `drew the two iianges 3vand 4 toward eachotherand v maintain them Xedly in position against either circumferential. orlateral movement. Euch of the spokes used with thisl device consists'ofan inner head provided with a perhch will be more fully described inyforationto receive one of the bolts 6, thereby pivoting the entire spokeon said bolt. These heads T are adapted' to extend outwardly frombetween the two flanges 3 and 4 and are provided with; an annular ridge8 constituting a lshoulder from which extends e cylindrical portion 9.The body of the spoke consists of 'a tube 10 adaptedl to inclose thecylindrical lportion 9 and abut against the shoulder 8, and it isfurther provided with a beveled outer end 11. 'Mounted in' the outer endof the tube 10 is a` slidable plunger '12 extending approximately to theinner edge of the felly 13, and between the plunger 12 of thecylindrical portion 9 is interposed 7 'a coiled spring 21, 'the normaltendency of which is to 'force the plunger 12 outwardly.

Embedded in suitable openings in the felly are a plurality ofsocket-forming members 14:, each provided with a contracted inneropeningn which is mounted n headed pin 15 provided with a threaded shankarranged to enter and engage in an interiorlythreadedopening iny the endof the .plunger 12, thereby connecting each socket-forming member to oneof the plungers 12. The socket f forming member is preferably retainedin position by means of screws 16 engaging in the material of whichthefelly is composed. Theouter portion of the opening in thesocket-forming member 14 which is not occupied bythe head of the pin 15,is preferably filled-by a cup-shaped member 17. Positioned between theinner end of the member 14 and the outer end .of the plunger 12 is-arubber washer 18 in order to make the joint between the felly and spokeyieldable. On the outer face of the folly 13 is mounted a rim 19, of anypreferred constructiomthe one shown in the drawings being of the ord1-nary clencher type. The spaces' between Vthe' and hub and yalso toprevent the entrance therein of dirt, sand and other foreign matters.

In setting-up a vehicle wheel suchV as is shown in the drawings, itwillbe stated that all spokes are constructed precisely alilre and thefelly may bemade in one piece or 1n a plurality of segments, as desired,without in -any manner departing from the scope vof this invention; theresilient or elastic cushioning of the vehicle sought in employing aWheel of this construction is attained by the use of the elastic member21 contained Within the tubular spoke body 10, and at the same time thespoke body 10 serves to maintain the elastic member from distortion andkeep the same radiallyin position. Bylpivoting the inner ends of thespokes on the bolts 6, a slight movement is permitted suiicient toprevent the injury oi' the Wheel, and at the same time the headed pin15l engaging in the socket-forming member 14 constitutes a pivotaljoint. between the outer end ofthe spoke and the telly.

From the foregoing it will be seen thatra Wheel setup in accordance withthis invention possesses an unusually high degree of elasticity, and atthe same time the parts are all substantially protected against theentrance of foreign matter and the Wheel may be readily dismounted forrepairs or shipment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. A vehicle Wheel comprising a hub consisting of a sleeve having anopening to receive the vehicle axle and provided with a radial flange, acomplementary hub member mounted on said sleeve similarly provided witha radial flange, a bolt connecting-said flanges, a spoke head aperturedto receive said bolt pivotally mounted thereon, said head provided Witha shoulder, a tubular member inclosing said head abutting against saidshoulder, a coiled resilient elementpositioned Within said tubularmember, a plunger provided with a threaded longitudinally-extendingopening in one end slidably mounted in said tubular member, a threadedelement mounted in said opening, said element provided with a circularhead, a fell-y provided with an openin and a socket-forming memberpositione said vopening provided with a recess adapted to receive thehead of said threaded element.

2. A vehicle Wheel comprising a hub consisting of a sleeve having anopening to receive the vehicle axle and provided with a radial flange, acomplementary hub member mounted on said sleeve similarly provided Witha radial flange, a bolt connecting said flanges, a spoke head aperturedto receive said bolt plvotally mounted thereon, said head provided witha shoulder, a tubular member inclosing said head abutting against lsaidshoulder, a .coiled resilient element positioned Within said tubularmember, a plunger providedvvith a threaded opening in one end slidablymounted in saidtubular member, a threaded element mounted in Saidopening, said element provided'with a circular. heada felly providedwith an opening, a socket-forming member positioned Within said openingprovided with a recess adapted to receive the head of said threadedWithin i radial flange, a complementary hub member.

mounted on said'sleeve similarly provided With a radialiiange, a boltconnecting said flanges, a spoke head apertured to receive said boltivotally mounted thereon, said head prov1ded with a shoulder, a tubularmember inclosing said head abutting against said shoulder, a coiledresilient element positioned within said tubular member, a plungerprovided with a threaded opening in one end slidably mounted in saidtubular member, a threaded element mounted in said opening, said elementprovided with a circular head, aelly provided with an openin asocket-,forming member' positioned wit in said opening provided with' arecess of greater dimensions than the head' of said threaded element,adapted to receive the same, a member havinga cup-shaped inner endadapted to lill the cavity in said recess not occupied by the circularhead of said threaded element and a rim mounted on said felly engaging.said cup-shaped member for retaining the latter in position in saidrecess.

4. A vehicle Wheel comprising a hub consisting of a sleeve having anopening to rcceive the vehicle axle and provided with a radial flange, acomplementary hub member mounted on said sleeve similarly provided witha radial flange, a bolt connecting said flanges, a spoke head aperturedto receive said bolt pivotally mounted thereon, said head provided witha shoulder, a tubular member inclosing said head abutting against saidshoulder, a coiled resilient 'element positioned Within said tubularmember, a plunger provided with a threaded opening in one end slidablyprovided in said tubular member, a threaded element mounted in saidopening, said element rovided with a circular head, a felly providedwith an opening, a socket-forming member positioned Within said openingprovided with a `recess of greater dimensions than the head of saidthreaded element, adapted to receive the same, a member having acup-shaped inner end adapted to fill the cavity in said. recess notoccupied by the circular head of said threaded element, a rim mounted onsaid felly engaginor said cup-shaped member for retaining the llatter inposition in said recess and an elastic Washer positioned between theends of said yplunger and the inner Jface of said socket-forming member.i

5. A vehicle Wheel comprising a hub consisting of a sleeve having anopening to receive the vehicle axle and provided vWith a radial flange,a complementary huh member mounted on said sleeve similarly providedwith a radialange, aLplurality of bolts con-'- necting said flanges,aplurality of spokeheads each apertured to receive said bolts andpivotallymounted thereon, said spoke heads each "provided `with ashoulder, a plurality of rubber bodies each of which is adaptedftobeinterposed between adjacent spoke heads and arranged tobe held against voutward movement by the shoulders thereof and from lateral movement bysaid flanges,

-tubular members each inclosing one of said 'spoke vheads and abuttlngagalnst the shoulder thereof, coiled resilient elements each positionedin one of said tubular members, plungers each provided Witha threadedlongitudinally-extending opening in the outer end thereof slidablymounted in -a ret speetive tubular member, threaded elements.

each mounted in one` of said longitudinallyextending openings, each ofsaid elements provided with a circular head, a felly provided withaplurality of openings, and a .socket-forming member positioned in eachof said openings, said socket-forming members each provided ,with arecess adapted to 4'receive therhead of one .of said threaded

